


Baby Steps

by InksandPens



Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine
Genre: 2d Bendy AU, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-23
Updated: 2017-05-23
Packaged: 2018-11-04 00:12:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10978314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InksandPens/pseuds/InksandPens
Summary: Bendy has some difficulty finding his footing in the real world.





	Baby Steps

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this idea taking up space in my brain for a while, and with various Bendy and Henry characterizations. For this particular go I tried my hand at ShinyZango's 2d Bendy AU. Go check out her art, because it's awesome.

Heavy breathing echoed through the halls. Blinking, Henry heaved himself off the floor and into a seated position. Squinting as he took stock of where he was, the animator spotted a familiar figure crouched near him. 

"So," Henry questioned, "you're off the page for real now?"

Still catching his breath, the toon shot him a puzzled glance before looking down at himself. His eyes widened and he straightened with a "huh?!" and Henry couldn't help the amused huff that escaped him as Bendy began patting himself all over, as if to check that he was solid. 

"I guess," the toon turned to meet the old animator's eyes, and Henry was struck by the wonder in their gaze as Bendy replied "I am."

Henry grinned. Bendy grinned back. 

"Well, I think we've taken care of the whole debacle here," the animator reasoned, grunting as he maneuvered his way back on his feet. An inch or so of standing ink sloshed across the floor as he moved. 

"I sure hope so," Bendy voiced, kicking up dark splashes as he made an effort to stand. He must've slipped, because he stumbled backward, landing with a splash as legs buckled underneath him. 

Chortling quietly to himself at the toon's bewildered expression,  Henry glanced around, trying to remember where in the labarynthine studio they were. 

* _splash_ *

As sure as he was that there was nothing (no one? He wasn't ready to think about that yet) left to attack them, he wanted to leave as swiftly as possible. He'd had his fill of this place. 

* _splish_ *

The hallway didn't exactly look familiar, but Henry thought he'd be able to retrace his steps well enough to get back to familiar territory. From there it would be easy to find the exi-

* _ker- **sploosh**_ *

Startled from his musings, Henry swiveled to access his companion. Bendy still hadn't stood himself up, and Henry might've thought the toon was splashing around in the ink for fun. 

Henry might've thought, but for the toon's shallow breaths and lost expression. "Bendy? You okay?"

"All's good, pal," Bendy panted from where he knelt in the blackness, a little too cheerfully. He didn't move. 

"Ready to go, then?"

"Eeh, well I  _would_ be but... I, ah, I can't stand up."

* * *

 

Bendy hoped his fear was coming off as embarrassment. He didn't want Henry worrying about him.

He had no idea what was wrong; this had never happened before, the world had never spun when he'd taken temporary leave of the paper. Now his body couldn't seem to decide if he was weightless or heavy as a ton of bricks. That wasn't just it, though; his limbs felt weak all over. His arms were already shaking from the strain of holding himself up. Did he need more ink? Frustrated, and more than a little scared, Bendy clutched at the liquid, breath hitching. What was he supposed to do?

A shadow fell over him, and he froze. Logically, Bendy knew that the only one who could be making that shadow was Henry, but still. Looming shadows never meant anything good. And with the right state he was in, the little devil didn't think he could handle any surprises.

He must've made a pretty pathetic picture. 

Crushing the urge to gulp, as was the custom in these situations, he looked up.

Bendy felt himself relax marginally upon meeting Henry's concerned eyes. The animator took a cautious step closer. "Your legs okay?"

"They-they don't  _hurt_. I mean, I can move 'em just fine, but," his voice wavered a little, "they're not  _working_."

Henry put a hand to his chin with a thoughtful hum. "Try again," he coaxed. "I need to see what you mean."

Again? Bendy shot the animator a grimace but complied, warily pulling himself up and onto his unsteady feet with the aid of some misplaced boards. Taking a brief moment to lean against the wall, the little toon steeled himself and pushed his way into open space. 

He actually managed to stay up for a whole two seconds before pitching sharply to the side, sprawling in the ink with another splash. Ouch. He'd thought windmilling his arms would've helped. He may as well have attempted to dive through the floor. 

"Hehe-oh." Bendy turned to pout incredulously at Henry's chuckle. At least he didn't sound worried, so. Small mercies. "You've lost your balance."

"Well, what do I need to hold to get it back?"

"Uh, it's not quite like that. Not like balancing with or against something. You have your own center of balance that you have to keep in order to stay upright." The animator rubbed the back of his neck pensively. "I guess it's not something you needed before."

* * *

 

Henry watched as Bendy processed this information. After a moment, the toon donned an air of concentration as he once again climbed to his feet. Slowly, he inched one booted foot forward, swishing through the murky liquid, gloved fingertips ghosting across the wall. He could see the little devil's legs wobbling as he made careful work of shuffling away from his support. 

Bendy made a few aborted movements, throwing himself off balance again. The toon flailed as he reared back and ended up overcompensating. "Ah!"

"Whoa, whoa!" Henry surged forward and managed to catch the toon by the shoulders before he fell again. "You alright there, buddy?"

"Gee, thanks Henry. Yeah, I'm alright.  _This_ time." Bendy's worry was palpable, and the animator's brow furrowed in sympathy. The toon glared at his legs balefully, shifting as if looking from a different angle would help him find the problem. "Tch, how long is this gonna take?! I wanna get outta here, we can't wait for me to get the hang o' this!"

"Well, um, I'm kinda surprised you haven't recognized the obvious solution."

Bendy returned his attention to Henry head tilting to one side in confusion. "Eh?"

"Oh come on now," Henry teased. "I owe you for all your help through the flooded halls, anyway." The old animator gathered the toon up in one arm and straightened up with a grunt. "May I?"

Bendy stared at Henry, before surveying the area from his new perch. When he turned back, the animator was relieved to note that his grin had returned full force. "Wow! What a great idea!" Henry felt a smile of his own form when the toon secured himself further by wrapping his arms around him. "Well, what're we waiting for? Let's go!"


End file.
